Biwa bokuboku

APPEARANCE: A biwa is a kind of lute, frequently used to sing stories and poems.

BEHAVIOR: A biwa of extremely fine construction, upon reaching an advanced age, can transform into a self-playing biwa instrument known as a biwa bokuboku. It grows a body like a human’s and wanders about like a blind priest, wielding a cane, and playing music in the street for money.

ORIGIN: These tsukumogami get their name from a legendary biwa named Bokuba, which was said to magically play on its own when nobody was looking, and played music beautiful enough to charm even an oni.